BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority will sue Israel for the prison death of Arafat Jaradat, the minister of detainee affairs said Wednesday.

"We are preparing ourselves to sue Israel and we will go to international courts," Issa Qaraqe told Ma'an.

Jaradat, 30, died in Israel's Megiddo prison on Saturday, a week after he was arrested and accused of throwing stones.

An autopsy showed the father of two died from extreme torture, Qaraqe said Sunday. The PA's chief pathologist was present at the autopsy, which was conducted in Israel.

Israel says the autopsy was inconclusive.

Qaraqe said the ministry would complain to international courts as soon as the file was ready, but declined to set a date.

The minister also said Egypt was in constant contact with Israel about Palestinians on long-term hunger strike in Israeli jails. The PA asked Cairo to intervene, but "until now there are no results," Qaraqe said.

Egypt brokered the October 2011 prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas, in which Ayman Sharawna and Samer Issawi were granted amnesty.

Both men were rearrested. Apart from a brief period in December, Sharawna has been on hunger strike since July. Issawi has also been on hunger strike for over 200 days.

Meanwhile, administrative detainees Tareq Qaadan and Jafar Azzidine could not attend a court hearing on Tuesday due to their health conditions, their lawyer Jawad Boulos said.

They have been on hunger strike for 92 days in protest at their detention without charge or trial.

Israel 'can't be exempt'

On Tuesday, the Palestinian Authority called for an international investigation of Arafat's death.

The Israeli government "can't be exempt from the responsibility over his death, especially since the circumstances of his martyrdom cannot be separated from the fact that they occurred during his detention and interrogation in occupation prison inside Israel, which is in itself a clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention," the PA cabinet said in a statement.

The cabinet also emphasized the need "to monitor what is happening inside these prisons, especially in the interrogation cells, as well as the type of health care provided to ill prisoners."

1 ) Zainab / UK

27/02/2013 18:17

“The United Nations expects .....an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Jaradat’s death, the results of which should be made public as soon as possible.” “The UN remains concerned about the deteriorating health of Palestinian detainees on hunger strike, and reiterates that those held in administrative detention without charge should be charged and face trial with judicial guarantees in accordance with international standards or promptly released. (www.un.org)

2 ) AKeenReader / UK

27/02/2013 18:46

The PA should talk less and act more. It's no use talking to the media and then keep quite in order to frighten the Israelis. They will never listen and have been doing this for over two decades. They will try to give sweetners just to keep PA happy and I am afraid they fall in this trap or from pressure from the US. Time for action is NOW ie take the matter to the ICC.

3 ) matt / usa

27/02/2013 19:45

This will hold as much water as all the victims of hamas' rocket and suicide bombers suing also.

4 ) and MURDER OF / ARAFAT

27/02/2013 19:46

GO FOR IT!!

5 ) Outlier / USA

27/02/2013 21:00

Hate to be technical here, but the PA almost certainly lacks standing to bring such a suit. It cannot prove it was directly harmed by the death.

6 ) @ Murder #4 / USA

27/02/2013 21:17

By all means, Let's talk about "Murder": - "MURDERERS SHOULD STAY IN JAIL," their entire prison term, and - not just until they make themselves sick by refusing to eat !!

7 ) @ Akeen-2 / USA

27/02/2013 21:31

Don't you think at all?Don't you believe, that if "the PA could act more" (or at all), that it would, and that such actions would have actually created a real Palestine by now?- "We will go to international courts," but the international courts will send us away, since they do NOT deal with issues of just one individual, and - Our UN Envoy will call for an inquiry, but the UN also does NOT deal with issues of just one individual !!

8 ) Brian Cohen / Israel

27/02/2013 22:45

Two days ago was the anniversary of the first #18 bus suicide bombing - five of my neighbors were murdered by Hamas Palestinian terrorists who were supported by the Palestinian leadership which is now in power in Gaza.
You want to sue?
Bring it on. Let's put Haniyah and Mashaal in jail where they belong. Abbas won't be far behind.
They can all share the cell with Barghouti.

9 ) Colin Wright / USA

28/02/2013 00:37

'The Israeli government "can't be exempt from the responsibility over his death..." ' Don't be silly. Israel is exempt from all moral constraint. Ask Brian.

10 ) Colin Wright / USA

28/02/2013 00:39

To @Akeen #7 'Don't you believe, that if "the PA could act more" (or at all), that it would, and that such actions would have actually created a real Palestine by now?..."
Well, they've covered a good deal of the distance to 'a real Palestine' already -- with Israel's unconscious aid, of course. They should be good for the home stretch -- if only Israel can keep being stupid.

11 ) Colin Wright / USA

28/02/2013 00:41

To @Murder #6 'By all means, Let's talk about "Murder":
- "MURDERERS SHOULD STAY IN JAIL," their entire prison term, and
- not just until they make themselves sick by refusing to eat !!'
Should we bear that prescription in mind when the Jewish population of Israel begins fleeing to the US? I was figuring New Jersey, but if you feel it should be Leavenworth...

12 ) gabi / australia

28/02/2013 06:17

Brian Cohen - no, they can share the cell with all those Israeli former prime ministers who were terrorists (oh, sorry, freedom fighters) during 1946 to 1948. Oh, no, wait there, they are all dead aren't they? And died as heroes! And Netanyahu recently honoured those responsible for the bombing of the King David Hotel, even though some of the victims of those murderers were young Jewish girls.
You are a hypocrite.

13 ) Rami / Palestine

18/03/2013 08:14

#8 There has never ever been an Israeli leader who has not been a war criminal. Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Netanyahu, Barak, Meir, Shamir, Olmert, Sharon, Begin....they're all criminals whose flesh are stained with the blood of innocent Palestinians.

14 ) Gaymer Kharken / Columbia

18/03/2013 09:11

"We are preparing ourselves to sue Israel and we will go to international courts," Issa Qaraqe told Ma'an.
Will they be using a good quality Jewish law firm?

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